Aster plant named ‘Yotwist’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Aster  plant named ‘Yotwist’, characterized by its uniform, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; freely branching growth habit; dark green-colored foliage; uniform flowering habit; natural flowering season mid-September in the Northern Hemisphere; daisy-type inflorescences with light violet-colored ray florets; and good garden performance.

Botanical designation: Aster hybrida.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Yotwist’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Aster plant, botanically known as Aster hybrida and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Yotwist’.

The objective of the breeding program is to create new potted Aster cultivars with uniform plant growth habit, good vigor and strong branching habit, numerous inflorescences, desirable and unique floret colors, uniform flowering response and good garden performance.

The new Aster originated from an open-pollination in January, 2001, in Alva, Fla. of an unnamed Aster hybrida seedling selection, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with an unknown Aster hybrida seedling selection, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Aster was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant within the progeny of the stated open-pollination in a controlled environment Alva, Fla. in March, 2002. The selection of this plant was based on its uniform plant growth habit, vigor, desirable floret color and postproduction longevity.

Asexual reproduction of the new Aster by vegetative tip cuttings was first conducted in Alva, Fla. in May, 2002. Asexual reproduction by cuttings has shown that the unique features of this new Aster are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Yotwist have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature, daylength and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Yotwist’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Yotwist’ as a new and distinct potted Aster cultivar:

-   -   1. Uniform, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit.     -   2. Freely branching habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored foliage.     -   4. Uniform flowering habit.     -   5. Natural flowering season mid-September in the Northern         Hemisphere.     -   6. Daisy-type inflorescences with light violet-colored ray         florets.     -   7. Good garden performance.

Plants of the new Aster differ from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Aster are larger and more rounded than         plants of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Aster flower several days later than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   3. Plants of the new Aster and the female parent selection         differ in ray floret color as plants of the female parent         selection have lavender pink-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Aster can be compared to plants of the Aster cultivar Celeste, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,051. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Aster differed from plants of the cultivar Celeste in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Aster were smaller and more rounded than         plants of the cultivar Celeste.     -   2. Plants of the new Aster were stronger than plants of the         cultivar Celeste.     -   3. Plants of the new Aster flowered a few days later than plants         of the cultivar Celeste when grown under natural season         conditions.     -   4. Plants of the new Aster and the cultivar Celeste differed in         ray floret coloration.

Plants of the new Aster can be compared to plants of the Aster cultivar Odin Viking, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 10,360. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Alva, Fla., plants of the new Aster differed from plants of the cultivar Odin Viking in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Aster were smaller and more rounded than         plants of the cultivar Odin Viking.     -   2. Plants of the new Aster were stronger than plants of the         cultivar Odin Viking.     -   3. Plants of the new Aster and the cultivar Odin Viking differed         in ray floret coloration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Aster. These photographs show the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Aster.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of three typical flowering plants of ‘Yotwist’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the top of the sheet is a close-up view of typical inflorescences of ‘Yotwist’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements describe plants grown during the spring and early summer in Alva, Fla. in a polycarbonate-covered greenhouse and under conditions and practices which approximate those generally used in commercial potted Aster production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures averaged 29° C. and night temperatures averaged 21° C. Three unrooted cuttings were directly stuck in 15-containers, exposed to long day/short night conditions, and pinched about three weeks later. About two weeks after the pinch, the photoinductive short day/long night treatments were started. Plants used in the photographs and for the description were about ten to twelve weeks old. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Aster hybrida cultivar Yotwist. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Unnamed Aster hybrida seedling             selection, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Unknown Aster hybrida seedling             selection, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About ten days at temperatures of             about 22° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 16 to 18 days at             temperatures of about 22° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; white in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching. -   Plant description:     -   -   Appearance.—Herbaceous daisy-type potted Aster; upright with             lateral branches outwardly spreading; inverted triangle with             uniformly mounded crown. Strong and freely branching growth             habit with lateral branches potentially developing at every             node; dense and full plants. Vigorous plant growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 27 cm.         -   Plant width, single plant.—About 25 cm.         -   Lateral branches.—Length: About 27 cm. Diameter: About             3.5 mm. Internode length: About 1.6 cm. Strength: Strong.             Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 146A. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate, simple; sessile.         -   Length.—About 5.5 cm.         -   Width.—About 1.2 cm.         -   Shape.—Narrowly elliptic to lanceolate.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture, upper and lower surfaces.—Smooth, glabrous.         -   Color.—Developing and fully expanded foliage, upper surface:             147A; venation, 147B. Developing and fully expanded foliage,             lower surface: 147A: venation, 147A. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Appearance.—Daisy-type inflorescence form with             ligulate-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on             terminals above foliage. Disk and ray florets arranged             acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences faintly fragrant.         -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plants flower             in mid-September in the Northern Hemisphere. Plants flower             within about 32 days when inflorescence initiation and             development is induced artificially under short day/long             night conditions (at least 13.5 hours of darkness).             Inflorescences persistent.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—Freely flowering habit, about             ten open inflorescences per lateral stem.         -   Inflorescence bud.—Height: About 8 mm. Diameter: About 5 mm.             Shape: Ovoid. Color: 85B.         -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 2.7 cm. Depth (height):             About 1.2 cm. Diameter of disc: About 1 cm. Receptacle             diameter: About 9 mm. Receptacle height: About 5 mm.         -   Ray florets.—Shape: Ligulate. Orientation: Initially             upright, then about 90° from vertical or perpendicular to             penduncle; apices cupped slightly upward. Length: About             1.5 cm. Width: About 2.5 mm. Apex: Broadly acute to nearly             rounded. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous, satiny. Number of ray             florets per inflorescence: About 42 arranged in about two             whorls. Color: When opening, upper surface: Slightly lighter             than 86D. When opening, lower surface: Close to 85B. Fully             opened, upper surface: Slightly brighter than 85A; towards             the base, close to 85B. Fully opened, lower surface: Close             to 85B to 85C.         -   Disc florets.—Arrangement: Massed at center of receptacle.             Shape: Tubular, elongated. Apex: Five-pointed. Length: About             7 mm. Width, apex: About 2 mm. Width, base: Less than 1 mm.             Number of disc florets per inflorescence: About 35. Color:             Immature: 150B to 150C. Mature: Apex and mid-section: 157A.             Base: 157D.         -   Phyllaries.—Number of phyllaries per inflorescence:             About 36. Length: About 1.2 cm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape:             Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Texture, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Color, upper and lower             surfaces: 147A.         -   Peduncles.—Length, terminal peduncle: About 3.8 cm.             Diameter: About 1 mm. Angle: Erect to curving upright.             Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Color: 137A.         -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets             only. Anther shape: Oblong. Anther length: Less than 1 mm.             Anther color: 163B. Pollen amount: None observed. Gynoecium:             Present on both ray and disc florets. Pistil length: About             6 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted. Stigma color: 157D. Style             length: About 5 mm. Style color: 157D. Ovary color: 155A.         -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed. -   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to     Asters has not been observed on plants grown under commercial     conditions. -   Garden performance: Plants of the new Aster have been observed to be     rain and wind tolerant and to tolerate temperatures from 0° C. to     about 38° C. 

1. A new and distinct Aster plant named ‘Yotwist’ as illustrated and described. 